The winter was slowly but surely coming close. Mikey had noticed that the temperature had been dropping the last few days and he was scared that they might not find some place to wait the snow out, they being Mikey and Klunk. Mikey looked around, looking for his little charge. It didn't take long for the young turtle to spot the little Liger, Klunk was jumping though the leaves on the ground and making it an important mission to roll though all of them.

Mikey grinned before he looked at his compass; the two of them had been making good time another week had passed since they left Zach. The two had entered a big forest and were staying close to the river; that was at least as long as the river went south.

Mikey felt a small thrust by his leg and he looked down at his feet there he saw Klunk looking up at him in question. The orange loving turtle had stopped and Klunk wondered why, "I think it is time for a break Klunkers~" Klunk stared before giving Mikey a small nuzzle, the turtle sat down by a tree and opened his bag. Mikey looked though it and sighed, they food supply was running short, if this kept going they would need to eat of the nature again.

The two had had this before, though Mikey hadn't had a big problem with eating it it had been Klunk who needs more then just a few plants.

Klunk nuzzled Mikey again, asking for food, "Sorry Klunk, if I give you it all now you won't have anything for tonight or tomorrow… it is better to save it." Klunk gave a sad and almost whining meow in disagreement and Mikey smiled at the small cat, "I am really sorry, how about we go look for something that we can eat okay?" Klunk looked up happy and jumped in her place, clearly wanting to leave and start looking right at that moment, Mikey grinned and stood up muttering to himself, "Well, better never let a tiger, lion or liger waiting…"

.~,~.

Mikey watched as Klunk creeped up on a bunny, the little hunter had been stalking the poor bunny for a long time now and Mikey couldn't bring himself to stop his cat. Mikey knew that the little liger needed the food so he wasn't going to take it away from her, so here he sat in the top of a tree eating some ripe fruits from it while Klunk stalked the bunny.

Mikey had to admit that Klunk had been getting better at the whole hunting thing, now instead of running straight at it she learned to surprise her prey so she could take it down.

Mikey looked up at the sky though the leaves and branches, the day had been clear which was good news for the turtle, as long as the sky was clear they could travel without fearing for rain or snow.

A soft purr was heard from the bottom of the tree and Mikey looked down, seeing Klunk standing proud with the bunny in her mouth, clearly showing off what she did. Mikey laughed and jumped down and petted Klunk, "Great work! That is my little girl." Klunk purred as she watched Mikey sitting down against the tree, Klunk sat down next to the turtle and started to eat the rabbit. Mikey turned his attention back to the fruit from the tree, even when he agreed that Klunk needed to eat it didn't mean he liked to watch it.

.~,~.

The two travelled though a lot of places, small cities, woods, a few big cities, all of them would be left behind quickly, two more weeks had passed and it was starting to get very cold and to get night early. Making it harder for the two to get much distance done but Mikey didn't take any chances, every day they stopped when it started to get dark. Mikey would start a fire every night, the first few nights it had been a lot of try and error before he got how to make it, and they rolled up together to stay warm.

Today it was a little warmer and the two had stopped by a river both were fishing. Klunk stared at the water with her paw ready, Mikey just grinned "And? Having any luck?" Klunk shook her tail to one side to the other, her own way of saying no, Mikey sighed "Well, that means more patience…" the two sat in silence. That was until Klunk got bored and went to explore.

The curious kitten started to sniff around, looking for any interesting scents. Mikey kept a close eye on her while he fished. Klunk started to walk around a little before playing for a little while with the water.

Klunk's head shot up and started at the bushes, she had noticed something there and slowly stalked towards it, staying close by the ground. As if she wanted to make sure that no one would attack her. Mikey put his stick with string down as he watched Klunk stalk towards the bush that had dared to move.

Klunk gave a small hiss and a small yelp was heard from the bush, curious now Klunk stood up more straight and slowly walked towards the yelping bush, giving a small meow in question. A new head poked out of the bush and Klunk jumped in shook back, before walking closer to meet her new friend.

A small cub walked out of the bush, this cub however was one of a bear. Klunk seeming to think she had found a new playmate started to jump at the cub playfully. The cub however mistook it as an attack and whimpered and gave a small cry.

Almost as soon as the cry had left the small bear and bigger and very angry bear arrived, the bear growled at Klunk. Klunk being scared run back towards Mikey, hiding behind his legs, Mikey stared at his little charge before staring at the big bear that was slowly making his way towards him. Mikey felt panic coming up but tried to stay calm and thought "Come on Mikey, you heard about this on TV before… what to do in when a bear attacks… come on… okay, first step, make yourself look big" Mikey stood up straight and pushed his panic down, the bear slowly walked towards him. "Okay, stay calm, look at the bear but don't make eye contact." He thought as he stared in the bear's direction and waves his arms a little to look bigger and said as calm and soft as possible, but still so that the bear heard him "Hey, it is okay. Klunk didn't mean to hurt your cub". The bear stopped on its spot and stared at Mikey, it growled softly. Mikey slowly but surely backed up, showing that he didn't want a fight.

Time seemed to slow down as the bear finally decided to leave the turtle and the liger as it took the small bearcub away into the bushes again. Mikey slowly backed away again and gave a deep sigh. "It worked!" he screamed to himself in his mind "It really worked!" Mikey grinned as he turned to look at Klunk, but she wasn't there. Mikey looked around and saw the little kitten by the water, staring in fear at the bushes the bear had left in. Mikey picked up his bag and put it on his back as he walked towards Klunk "Don't worry, the bear is gone." Klunk didn't seem to hear him. Mikey stepped close, Klunk hearing something approach thought it was the bear again and panicked and in her panic she fell in the water.

Mikey saw the river taking his little girl away and dove in after the small cub. He swam until he was right by Klunk and took her in his arms and let the current take them as he slowly the small liger down, "Ssshhh, it is okay Klunk. I am here. ssshhh it is okay." Klunk slowly calmed down and started to nuzzle and lick the turtle. Mikey grinned and hugged the small scared cat close. When Klunk had calmed down enough Mikey looked around, they had been taken pretty far but before he could react he fell them fall down a small waterfall, it really was nothing to bad, just enough to shake them.

Mikey swam towards the side of the little lake they had ended in and climbed out of the cold water. Now that the panic for Klunk was gone could he feel the coldness from the water though his skin. Klunk seemed to notice that Mikey was cold and started to nuzzle him, trying to make him warm again.

The two sat in silence as they tried to warm up.

Something fell in the water, when Mikey looked up he couldn't believe his eyes, there in the lake were turtles! Mikey stared at the small normal turtles as they swam though the cold water, it seemed like they were used to it.

Klunk, seeing the new animals that looked a lot like her Mikey, got curious again. She slowly walked away from Mikey and sniffed one of the turtles on the side of the lake, the turtle stared at Klunk before going back to warming in the sun.

Mikey stared at the small creatures as he suddenly felt a stab though his heart, homesick. As he watched the turtles he couldn't help but think of his brothers, and thinking of his brothers made him think back at home and his father. Mikey threw his arms around him as he held himself close while he watched the small normal turtles swim though the water, he suddenly felt a lot colder then before, and a lot more lonely. Mikey didn't notice that he was crying until he felt his first tear fall on his knee, and when the first fell a lot of others followed.

Mikey didn't know how long he sat there, being lost in sadness and lonesomeness. When he finally dried his tears however he was met by Klunk. The kitten was lying at his feet and was staring at him with sadness for his sadness. Mikey smiles though his tears and spoke "sorry Klunk… I guess I am just homesick" the cub lay closer to him as closed her eyes, planning to sleep right there.

.~,~.

Autumn changes into winter.

Everyone knows that.

Mikey knew that too.

So how had he been surprised by snow?

While he hadn't expected snow so soon in the autumn!

"But then again… it snowed before in autumn" the turtle thought to himself as he and Klunk walked though the snow. Mikey had at first been very cold and in pain because of the cold but now he wasn't feeling it anymore, which he know was not a good sign.

"Why am I always this unlucky? Is nature and everything out there out to get me?" Mikey wondered as he watched Klunk jumped though the snow and after that shaking her paws to get the snow to go off. Mikey smiled and suddenly stared at his breath that he could see in front of him. it was so cold.

The world started to turn. "So cold" he thought.

The world became to blur, so cold…

Mikey tripped over something hidden by the snow and fell in it.

So cold…

Mikey lay there as he listened to the wind.

So cold

So tired…

Mikey felt his eyes closing "No! stay awake!" he thought of told himself, he wasn't sure which one it was anymore "You can't fall asleep…" but it felt so nice to not having to walk.

Mikey fell something jumping on his plastron and opened his eyes again, when had they closed? On him was Klunk, staring in worry "Don't worry Klunk… we will get out of here… don't… worry…" Mikey felt his eyes close again, but this time he couldn't keep them open.

He heard Klunk meow at him before she curled up on top of him.

Mikey felt himself falling asleep.

Suddenly he heard voices, they seemed so far…

"Is… okay?"

"…. Think… needs…. though"

Who is there?

"He… awake!"

That was the last thing he heard before everything turned silent for the turtle.